"Wait a minute, why is this the first time you're using it? You could have definitely put the fruit I've seen around here in it."

"Why would I start using it for a couple of fruits?" she retorted as if it was common sense.

"Why not, didn't you say it uses some sort of magic?" He asked out of curiosity. "What's wrong with just putting stuff in there? (I mean it's not like it isn't generating its own magic right? Though the thought of a company that provides magic to a home like electricity and having to pay a magic bill is surrealist enough that I wouldn't mind it honestly.)" Said the man who couldn't even think about paying bills.

"Because it would be a waste of mana."

He gave her a puzzled look before asking her to explain how it worked.

"Simple, using the runes, if you provide it mana, the chiller will start producing ice magic."

"I don't see the problem." He responded.

She then grabbed his hand and placed it on a rune on the outside of the chest.

"Alright then, provide it some mana, in fact, try to fill it up."

He shrugged his shoulders and then placed his hand on the chest. After putting his hand there he felt a weird sensation after he produced mana from his hand. After around fifteen minutes Tibaut stopped.

"That should be enough right?"

"It is… for over an hour of cooling." she responded.

"Eh, that's it?"

"Yup."

He looked back to the chiller with shock.

("Are you kidding me? Over an hour for fifteen minutes of it gobbling my mana? Although I'm fine now if I did this for 30 more minutes I'd definitely feel a bit sore.")

"Wait a minute, how does it work for people without magic?"

"It doesn't."

"Are you sure we aren't just doing something wrong with our mana?" Said Tibaut switching his train of thought.

"All I was told was to give it my mana."

"Really?" he responded and then looked at the chest with his hand on his chin in thought. "Oh yeah, didn't you say it was made with some breakthrough? How much did you pay for it anyway?" He asked out of curiosity after accepting it was going to be a pain in the ass to use.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Elizabeth timidly looked away and placed one hand on her cheek. She then mumbled something under her breath.

"Uh, I can't hear you?" he said.

She mumbled again but ever so slightly louder. He then got in front of her and asked her again.

With nowhere to hide she changed her statement.

"Well, it's not really a cost, it's more so me donating to its creators with the hope that someday they'll make a better and more efficient version in the future, so really it's not fair to judge by its price."

"Alright then, how much did you donate for it?"

She then started poking her index fingers into each other while looking down at her modest chest.

"Well, if we go by this manor, then the chiller got about," she then softened her voice as much as she could muster "maybe, ¼ or ⅓ of this mansion's cost."

Tibaut's expression was blank. By his own estimates, if the mansion were made in his world this place would cost one million dollars at the minimum (though this value was pulled out of his ass). So at minimum that chest would have an approximate value of $250,000. Even though he could comprehend that amount of money due to his previous life's inheritance, spending that kind of money on something other than a house seemed absurd.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Elizabeth said while avoiding eye contact.

"If you have this kinda money, why don't you buy better food or at the very least the amount of food that'd justify this thing." He reasoned.

"Uh, I'll keep that in mind." She meekly responded. She made sure to avoid talk of their dire finances at all costs.

She then grabbed him and ran through the kitchen.

"You know what, I'm feeling rusty so let's train." She said after she reached outside. She then threw Tibaut ahead of her and rushed at him.

"Woah, WAIT A MINNUUTE!!!"

----------------------------------------

After recovering stamina from his beat down, he visited Vanessa's at her basement. Immediately upon entering, something was thrown at his face. He barely managed to catch it and got a good look at it. It was a chest plate. A few other pieces followed which he thankfully managed to avoid.

"My God, I've been finished with these for how long and you're now just showing up. Did you forget this place existed?"

Tibaut then remembered he hadn't seen her for the past few days but chalked it up to her working hard.

"It's not my fault you haven't left this place in a while."

"I do leave this place."

"At the times me and Elizabeth are walking around?"

She then narrowed her eyes at him before walking over to him. Tibaut preemptively covered the weak point that most men possessed.

("Huh, I wonder if this would count as a pavlovian response.")

Vanessa then looked up into Tibaut's face.

"So, have you decided on a weapon yet?"

"Oh, that."

"fym 'Oh, that'"

"Don't worry I've decided on something."

Relief then quickly showed itself on her face and he told what it was. Relief soon turned to a look of annoyance.

"Ugh, are you serious?"

"Can you not make it?"

"Of course I can make it, you idiot, it's just gonna be a pain in the ass. Besides that's not even a weapon."

"I mean considering how I fight, I feel it would qualify."

"Whatever, I had a sword prepared and everything but I guess I jumped the gun about you."

"I mean swords are cool and all but I haven't used one in forever. Wait a minute, why did you have one prepared?"

"Don't worry about that (tch, I wanted to surprise him when he asked for his weapon but who would have expected him to choose something like that). Anyway just try on the armour so I can see if I need to make adjustments."

With a nod, he then tried on the amount he was given. While it was on the lighter side of things it certainly was better than nothing. Other than the chest plate, he had metal thigh and calf guards covering most of his legs in addition to shoulder and arm guards.

He examined it and had a small smirk on his face.

"This is pretty good." While checking the armour.

"You're damn right it's good, who do you think made it?" She said with a proud smile on her face.